Maundy Thursday the Night Office

The Office of Matins and Lauds, for the last three days of Holy Week, differs, in many things, from that of the rest of the year. All is sad and mournful, as though it were a funeral-service: nothing could more emphatically express th.e grief that now weighs down the heart of our holy mother the Churoh. Throughout all the Office of Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, she forbids herself the use of those formulas of joy and hope, wherewith, on all other days, she begins her praise of God. The Domine, labia mea aperies (0 Lord, thou shalt open my lips) : the Deus, in adjutorium meum intende (Incline unto mine aid, 0 God) : the Gloria Patri, at the end of the psalms, cantioles, and responsories — all are taken away. So likewise are those soul-stirring additions, which have been gradually made in the different ages; and nothing is left but what is essential to the form of the Divine Office: psalms, lessons, and chants expressive of grief. Each Canonical Hour ends with the psalm Miserere, and with a commemoration of the death and cross of our Redeemer.

The name of Tenebrce has been given to the Matins and Lauds of the last three days of Holy Week, because this Office used formerly to be oelebrated during the night; and even when the hour was anticipated, the name of Tenebrce was kept up for another reason, namely, that it began with day-light, but ended after the sun had set. There is an impressive ceremony, peculiar to this Office, whioh tends to perpetuate its name. There is placed in the sanctuary, near the altar, a large triangular candlestick, holding fifteen oandles. These oandles, and the six that are on the altar, are of yellow wax, as in the Office for the dead. At the end of each psalm or cantiole, one of these fifteen candles is extinguished ; but the one which is placed at the top of the triangle is left lighted. During the singing of the Benedictw, at Lauds, the six oandles on the altar are also put out. Then the master of ceremonies takes the lighted oandle from the triangle, and holds it upon the altar, on the epistle side, while the choir repeats the antiphon after the cantiole: after which he hides it behind the altar during the recitation of the Miserere and the prayer which follows the psalm. As soon as this prayer is finished, a noise is made with the seats of the stalls in the choir, which continues until the oandle is brought from behind the altar, and shows, by its light, that the Office of Tenebrce is over.

Let us now study the meaning of these ceremonies. The glory of the Son of God was obscured, and, so to say, eclipsed, by the ignominies He endured during His rassion. He, the Light of the world, powerful in word and work, who, but a few days ago, was proclaimed King by the citizens of Jerusalem, is now robbed of all His honours ; He is, says Isaias, the Man of sorrows, a leper; He is, says the royal prophet, a worm of the earth, and no man; He is, as He says of Himself, an object of shame even to His own disciples, for they are all scandalized in Him, and abandon Him ; yea, even Peter protests that he never knew Him. This desertion on the part of His apostles and disciples is expressed by the oandles being extinguished, one after the other, not only on the triangle, but on the altar itself. But Jesus, our light, though despised and hidden, is not extinguished. This is signified by the oandle whioh is

1 Is. liii. 3, 4. » Ps. xxi. 7. • St. Mark xir. 27. momentarily placed on the altar; it figures our Eedeemer suffering and dying on Calvary. In order to express His burial, the candle is hidden behind the altar ; its light disappears. A confused noise is heard in the house of God, where all is now darkness. This noise and gloom express the oonvulsions of nature, when Jesus expired on the oross: the earth shook, the rocks were split, the dead came forth from their tombs. But the candle suddenly reappears ; its light is as fair as ever; the noise is hushed, and homage is paid to the Conqueror of death.

After having given these general explanations we now offer the faithful the text of the liturgy, to which we subjoin a few words of commentary, where we think it needed.

MATINS

After the Pater, Ave, and Credo, have been said seoretly, the first Nocturn begins as follows.

THE FIRST NOCTURN

The first psalm was written by David, when obliged to flee from the persecution of his son Absalom, who sought his death. It refers to Christ, and describes various incidents of His Passion. The gall and vinegar, here mentioned, show us that this psalm is prophetio, for David never received any such treatment from his enemies.

Ant. Zelus domus tu» Ant. comedit me, et opprobria exprobrantium tibi ceciderunt super me. proached

The zeal of thy house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that rethee, are fallen upon me.

Psalm 68 galvum me fac, Deus: quo- Save me, 0 God: for the niam intraverunt aquae usque ad animam meam.

Infixus sum in limo profundi: et non est substantia.

Veni in altitudinem maris: et tempestas demersit me.

Laboravi clamans, raucae factse sunt fauces meae: def ecerunt oculi mei, dum spero in Deum meum.

Multiplicati sunt super capillos capitis mei: qui oderunt me gratis.

Confortati sunt qui persecuti sunt me inimici mei injuste: quae non rapui, tunc exsolvebam.

Deus, tu scis iusipientiam meam: et delicta mea a te non sunt abscondita.

Non erubescant in me, qui exspectant te, Domine: Domine virtutum.

Non confundantur super me: qui quaerunt te Deus Israel.

Quoniam propter te sustinui opprobrium: operuit conf usio faciem meam.

Extraneus f actus sum fratribus meis: et peregrinus filiis matris meaa.

Quoniam zelus domus tuae comedit me: et opprobria exprobrantium tibi ceciderunt super me.

Et operui in jejunio ani- waters are come in even unto my soul.

I stick fast in the mire of the deep: and there is no sure standing.

I am come into the depth of the sea: and a tempest hath overwhelmed me.

I have laboured with crying: my jaws are become hoarse: my eyes have failed, whilst I hope in my God.

They are multiplied above the hairs of my head, who hate me without cause.

My enemies are grown strong, who have wrongfully persecuted me: then did I pay that which I took not away.

0 God thou knowest my foolishness; and my offences, the offences which I have taken upon myself, are not hid from thee.

Let them not be ashamed for me, who look for thee, 0 Lord, .the Lord of hosts.

Let them not be confounded on my account, who seek thee, O God of Israel.

Because for thy sake I have borne reproach: shame hath covered my face.

1 am become a stranger to my brethren, and an alien to the sons of my mother.

For the zeal of thy house hath eaten me up: and the reproaches of them that reproached thee, are fallen upon me.